1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a product conveyance assembly, and more specifically to an apparatus for transferring a chemical substance to a movable tanker.
2. Background of the Invention
Loading arm assemblies are utilized for the transfer of chemicals from a processing plant to a tanker for transportation. Loading arm assemblies that are used for the loading of molten chemicals, such as, sulfur have numerous drawbacks associated with the safety to the operator and the reliability of the equipment. In prior art assemblies, loading arms included flexible non-metallic tubing, or tubing that was maneuverable do to swivel joints, that was manually pulled and positioned over an opening of tanker. A vacuum piping system was often associated with the maneuverable loading arms for collecting some of the fumes emanating from the molten sulfur being loaded into the tanker.
Molten sulfur often caused corrosive damage to the non-metallic tubing or piping, and to the swivel joints that needed to be replaced repeated. Moreover, the operator had to push and pull the prior art loading arms while moving about the upper surface of the tanker. This exposed the operator to awkward and often dangerous situations while handling the molten sulfur loading arms. The operator had to negotiate curved tankers with protuberances and guard assemblies formed on the tanker surface around the tanker opening, and the operator was exposed to the heat associated with the molten sulfur being transferred to the tanker the operator was walking upon. Furthermore, the operator was often exposed to the fumes from the chemicals emanating from within the tanker during the loading process while engaging and disengaging the loading arm with the tanker.